FAQ > Face Acne

5 Ways to Relieve Dryness from Acne Products

One of the most common complaints of even the best acne products is that they irritate and dehydrate the skin. People tend to stop using their acne products when their skin gets dry and peels, so they never get completely clear, nor do they stay clear. We want to go over some strategies that can make using acne products a more productive, comfortable process.

Know from the outset, that you are going to have some dryness and peeling from acne products. Any product that is strong enough to get acne under control is inherently dehydrating – that’s just the way it is, but there are ways we can alleviate this problem while your skin is adapting to products.

The best strategy is to start off using products very slowly. Allow your skin to slowly adapt to your products. Our Acne Specialists are experts at coaching you through this process.

You can add a water-based hydrator like our Hydrating Emulsion to layer under your morning sunscreen and your evening benzoyl peroxide. Remember to not use any moisturizer or cream with oil in it as it will stop the action of the benzoyl peroxide. The benzoyl will not be able to penetrate into the pores to do its work of stopping acne from forming.

Dryness around the mouth and chin area is a very common reaction to benzoyl peroxide. When it happens, you can apply a thin layer of Vaseline on the dry area (smile lines) before they applying the benzoyl peroxide. They will do this for just a few days and then resume the benzoyl peroxide again. Rest assured that Vaseline will not cause your skin to break out.

Another option is to take a 1 to 3-day break from your routine. Just cleanse, tone and use your noncomedogenic sunscreen in the morning and cleanse, tone and use a noncomedogenic moisturizer at night. When your start their routine again you will resume where you left off. **Word of caution – if you take too many breaks, you will not clear either. If you are chronically dry, then it’s time to readjust your home care routine to one that your skin can tolerate.

The path to clear skin is not easy – it’s best to have someone who is experienced to help you get there. We, at Liberation Acne Clinic, do just that – we will get you through the ups and downs of getting to clear skin.